We’ve been able to identify major gaps in the market and find solutions because we’re prepared to have uncomfortable discussions
In 2003, Scott Rawson made a bold bet on an industry that most people preferred not to think about.
Armed with just 60 portable toilets assembled with the help of his parents, he founded Instant Products Group with a vision: transform an overlooked necessity into a thriving business focused on human dignity and innovation.
“When I started, no one had a nice thing to say about portable toilet facilities… ever,” Rawson recalls. “Not only did I want to change that, but I wanted to completely transform the way people are able to access and use these facilities, no matter whether that was at a concert, on a work-site, or attending an event in some of the most remote parts of the state.”
What started as a family operation with less than $50,000 in first-year turnover has exploded into a $30 million annual enterprise. The transformation is staggering: 240% growth over the past decade, expansion from 60 units to more than 2,000 toilet assets for hire, and a workforce that has grown to over 50 full-time employees. This success reflects Rawson’s ability to see opportunity in Australia’s portable toilet rental market, now valued at more than $364 million with forecast growth of almost 10%.
Finding gold in the uncomfortable
Rawson’s breakthrough insight came from embracing what others avoided. “Everyone uses a toilet, but no one wants to think about it, much less talk about it,” he explains. “That’s why we’ve been able to identify major gaps in the market and find solutions – because we’re prepared to have uncomfortable discussions and create facilities that people genuinely want to use.” This willingness to confront taboo subjects became the foundation for systematic innovation across underserved market segments.
The company pioneered accessible toilets and showers for people with disabilities, featuring anti-slip surfaces, easy-to-clean materials, and ample space for carer access. For parents, new facilities launching in coming months will provide dedicated space and access for people with children, recognising families as an overlooked demographic. At the luxury end, six-star facilities equipped with LED lighting, Bluetooth connectivity, and indoor bathroom aesthetics are revolutionising expectations for weddings and high-end outdoor events. For regional and remote areas, self-contained units capable of storing water and waste while generating solar power solve long-standing challenges in maintaining hygiene standards across Australia’s vast remote regions.
Beyond physical innovation, Rawson invested in developing first-of-its-kind real-time monitoring technology, replacing outdated alarm systems with proactive solutions. “One of the key issues with portable facilities is that responding to spills and blockages has been reactive. This technology allows for proactive monitoring of usage and waste generated, reducing the risk of overflow events and creating efficiencies throughout the entire process.”
The global pandemic provided unexpected validation for Rawson’s hygiene-focused approach. “We’ve had a focus on hygiene and cleanliness since the very beginning, but during the pandemic we found that the high standards that we’d been prioritising since day one were no longer considered ‘nice to have’, they became the expectation.” This shift in societal attitudes toward sanitation and hygiene normalized discussions around personal cleanliness that had long been considered uncomfortable topics.
Human dignity as business strategy
We’ve always maintained that regardless of where you are, you are a human and you deserve to use facilities that are as clean and hygienic as what you would find in a home or indoor venue.
Central to Rawson’s business philosophy is a simple but powerful principle: “We’ve always maintained that regardless of where you are, you are a human and you deserve to use facilities that are as clean and hygienic as what you would find in a home or indoor venue.” This human-centered approach transformed a commodity business into a differentiated service provider, demonstrating how founders can build sustainable competitive advantages by focusing on dignity and user experience in the most fundamental human needs.
Rawson’s journey from a garage operation to a $30 million enterprise reveals crucial business insights. His success stems from willingness to discuss and solve problems others avoid, proving that sometimes the biggest opportunities exist in spaces people don’t want to examine. Rather than treating portable sanitation as a one-size-fits-all market, he identified specific user groups with unique needs, from disability access to luxury events.
The integration of real-time monitoring and solar-powered units shows how traditional industries can be transformed through smart technology, while his long-term bet on hygiene standards proved prescient when the pandemic validated elevated cleanliness expectations.
“From turnover of less than $50,000 in the first year to now more than $30 million annually as a company, it’s clear that there’s not only a want for high-quality facilities, there’s an absolute need,” Rawson reflects.
His story demonstrates that extraordinary businesses can emerge from the most ordinary human needs when founders have the vision to see opportunity where others see only necessity, building empire-scale success through unwavering focus on human dignity and systematic innovation.
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